Virus Study Guide- Microbiology
Are viruses living or nonliving? - correct answer nonliving
How can viruses be useful? - correct answer The cowpox
virus is the reason as to why people can be vaccinated against most diseases.
Scientists are trying to figure out a way for viruses to be able to kill bacteria. They
can be useful in genetic research because they can change how a cell functions.
What does a virologist do for a living? - correct answer
Virologists study viruses. They mainly try to figure out how diseases, like AIDS, are
spread.
Construct a Venn diagram comparing viruses and cells. - correct answer
Explain how viruses were discovered and by whom. - correct answer
Dmitry Ivanovsky used a filter to show that sap from a diseased tobacco plant was
infectious to healthy tobacco plants, even though it had been filtered. This was in
1892. Martinus Beijerinck called the filtered, infectious substance a virus and this is
considered to be the start of virology.
Compare the size of viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotic cells. - correct answer
Viruses range in size from 20 nm in diameter to 250 nm in diameter. Bacteria can
range in size from 0.5 to 2 micrometers. Eukaryotic cells can be 10 to 100
micrometers in size.
What must be true for viruses to be able to replicate? - correct answer
Viruses can replicate only by invading a host cell and using the enzymes and
organelles of the host cell to make more viruses. Since viruses depend on host cells
for replication, they are called obligate intracellular parasites.
Name the two main parts of all viruses. - correct answer All
viruses are composed of nucleic acid and a protein coat.
